The california ban is already removed... effective 2006 when ultra-low sulfur diesel hits the market, TDIs and other diesels can be sold again.

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LARS: You keep insisting that diesel is dirtier. I'm willing to accept that conclusion, but I need some facts to back it up. Compare gas vs. diesel emissions. Actually I've already done it:
----- GAS DIESEL
NOx low high
PMs same same (they only differ in size)*
CO2 high low
CO high near-zero
HC high zero (evaporative)

As you can see, the only "flaw" with diesel is the high NOx output (same flaw as the lean-burn Insight/Civic Hybrids), and in 2006 with clean diesel fuel + cat converters the NOx problem will be fixed (same fix as the lean-burn Insight/Civic Hybrids).

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If you had asked me in 2001, I would have hated diesels as much as you. But then I actually looked at the numbers. Now if you can show me where the above analysis is wrong, I will gladly agree with you that diesels are dirtier. But I need to see the facts first.

Thanks for your patience,
Troy

* (if you don't believe gasoline engines emit Particulate Matter (PM), please go find a >100,000 mile gasoline car and rub your finger inside the tailpipe. See that black stuff? That's PM)